Inflatable article having retaining collar



1953 E. A. ROBINSON ETAL INFLATABLE ARTICLE HAVING RETAINING COLLAR Filed Dec. 9, 1948 Patented Jan. 13, 1953 INFLATABLE ARTICLE HAVING RETAINING COLLAR Eli A. Robinson and Albert F. Heck, Amsterdam, N. Y., assignors to The Collette Manufacturing Company, Amsterdam, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 9, 1948, Serial No. 64,264

14 Claims.

1 The invention relates to an inflatable article such as a foot ball, playball, inflatable toys and the like, which includes a casing and an inflatable bladder within the casing. Heretofore it has been the practice to cement the bladder to the casing in an area around the bladder valve. Valves today are of the type using an inflating needle or stem which is pressed into the valve so that the latter must be anchored in some fashion in order to prevent the valve from being pushed within the casing thereby many times resulting in the valve opening being displaced from the casing opening. 7 Anchoring the bladder to the casing by cementing has three disadvantages, the first and primary one of which is that if the workman did not get the bladder in good alignment with the casing in an irregularly shaped inflatable article, such as a foot ball, creases would form in the bladder which would cause chafing and constriction thereof and rapid destruction of the bladder. A second disadvantage is that it takes considerable time in bufling the parts, to be cemented, in applying two coats of cement to adequately anchor the bladder to the casing, and in requirt ing care in positioning of cementing the bladder to the casing. A third disadvantage lies in the fact that many times adhesion does not take place with the result that the bladder valve may be pushed away or shift away from the hole of the casing when a needle or stem is inserted through the valve when attempting to inflate the bladder.

It is an object of the invention to construct a new and novel valve and casing combination which effectively anchors the bladder to the casing and yet permits relative adjustment of the bladder with respect to the casing.

Another object of the invention is to construct a bladder and casing combination in which the valve is efiectively anchored to the casing by means which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Another object of the invention is to construct a new and novel method of anchoring a bladder to the casing so that a bladder may be quickly anchored to the casing andyet permit relative adjustment thereof in the casing.

Another object is to construct a new and novel casing having a collar for anchoring a bladder to the casing.

Another object is to construct a bladder with a valve which provides an enlarged flexible portion on a valve stem which contracts on being stretched so that the stem may be anchored to a r casing.

'ure 2 preparatory to anchoring Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

Figure 1 is a section through a portion of the casing of an inflatable-article and of abladder therein at the valve showing the two anchored together yet permitting relative adjustment of the .bladder within the casing; 1

Figure 2 is a section through a casing at the valve opening, and in spaced relation preparatory to anchoring the bladder to the casing; and

Figure 3 is a section through a valve and portion of the bladder in spaced'relation with Figthe bladder to the casing.

The inflatable article includes a casing H) which may be of any suitable material such as leather, artificial leather, plastic, rubber or the like. The casing carries a slot or opening ll through which a bladder is inserted within the casing and later the slot is closed and held together in any known fashion such as by lacing l2. Adjacent the slot II is a hole 13 at which point the valve on the bladder to be described is located when assembled within the casing.

In alignment with the casing hole and Preferably on the inner face of thecasing is'secured a collar I6. This collar'is secured to the casingin any suitable way and in the construction shown it is held in place by vulcanizing a pad ll :of rubber or rubber-like material thereover in the manner described in the Robinson application, Serial No. 19,495. The collar has a hole l8 therethrough to receive the stem of the valve for a bladder, the hole I8 being in or approximately in alignment'with the hole I3 in the casing. It is desirable that the hole of the collar be spaced from the wall of the easing, and in order to effect this, the collar, is cup shaped with a base I9 which engages the inner face of the casing so that the flange 20 thereof is spaced from the Wall of the casing. With the collar mounted upon the inside of the casing the flange is spaced from the inner wall. The flange preferably is depressed around the hole 18 to more securely anchor a valve stem thereto.

The bladder 24 is of any suitable material such as plastic or rubber-like material and is usually of rubber either natural or synthetic. A valve 25 is carried by the bladder and it is immaterial whether it is molded thereto or molded separately and secured in any desirable fashion to the bladder. Any type of valve may be used through which the article is inflated. The con- The valve carries a stem 30 which initially is:

of substantial length. This stemcarries anon.- larged portion forming a groove 3|, the groove being preferably formed by a circumferential head 32 carried by the stem-adjacent. to.the:valve face. A passage 33 extends through-.theeval've,

which passage preferably larger than the inflating needle or stem and has a restricted portion 34 which is approximately thegdiameter" of: the inflating needle and located radially of the groove or generally in the same plane. valve preferably has a recess 35 therein to receive the casi'ngscollarl6..

It:.is:important thatthe diameter of the groove 32!. be; such with respect to" the; diameter of. the hole. I18: so that: the valve stem or particularly the groove may be easily turned therei'nyor'adjust. itselfi with respectito thehole I8 oii'thei collar. If? the groove: has; a diameter less than that of theiholein the-collar, the-.valve' will adjust itself freely; It: is' important that: the stem: be not clamped so that adjustment or alignment of the bladder with the casing will be achieved;

In: assembling" the. bladder within the casing the bladder is inserted through thesl'ot H: and the; long' stem 30. igprojected through the; hole 1,8 in the coll'er' Hi3 and'the hole: l3 through the casing: Thestemyisxtherr pulled which stretches the same and in stretching, the bead 32 reduces its diametersothatxit Will? be pulled through the holel8 ofthe collar until" the flangelflengages inthe groove 3'! as shown-in Fig; 1. Thereafter thet-slot is laced up and aneedle may be inserted through the passage 33 and the plastic 2t to inflate thebladder. The workman need not carefully: align: the bladder with thecasing in the event it is an oblate article, such ascazfoot ball. As. previously: mentioned there is: freedom for movement circularly-between the groove 3| and the fl'ange-or-hole l8 of the collar It? When the bladder is inflated; therefore, it adjusts. itself or thevalve adjusts itself with respect to the casing because there is no binding or clamping between the collar and the groove or not suflicientto prevent adjustment; The bead 32 retains the-valve in position in that itis received between the flange 20' andthe inner face of" the valve or'recess35;

The needle upon being inserted through the passage'33 engages" the restricted portion 34 and in so doing supports this portion of the stem so that it will not contract and tend to force the bead through the hole-I8 in the collar: The head, therefore, ispractically locked in position between the collar'and'the inner'f'ace ofthe-casing when the needle is inserted. The portion ofthe stem 30; extending; beyond the outer-wall of'the casing in maybe cut off such as on line 1; im-

mediately after the bladder is assembled upon the casing, It may, however; be, thatit. is desirable to give the" ball an inflation test first before itLiscut on; In any event the excess or projectingyst'emis cut offwhen the ballis sold.

This, invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in,an inflatablearticlehaving retaining coll'an, Itisunderstoodthat the various modifications instructure, as well. as. changes in The mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of the invention. Hence, it will be understood that this disclosure is illustrative of preferred means Of; embodying the invention in useful form by explaining the construction, operation and advantages thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An inflatable article to be inflated comprising-in. combination a casing having an opening therethrough, a stifl collar secured to the casing andzhaving acircularhole therethrough in alignment with the. casing opening, a bladder, a valve i secured tothe bladder having a hole thereinto to pass the inflating air, an air seal within the hole, a-. flexible stem carried by the valve, a groove carried by the stem in the exterior surface thereof and spaced axially from the air seal of the valve, the end of said flexible stem being insertable through thehole in the collar and the stem. then. being contractile: upon pulling the same to pass. the stem through the hole to the groove, and. the groove and stem fitting loosely in the hole inthe collar for unrestrained circular adjustment therewith'in.

2. An'inflatable article as in claim 1 adapted to be inflatedby projecting a needle into the hole in the valve to open the air seal, the stem having a passage therein to the air seal; said passage bei'ng of a relatively large diameter throughout most of its length to freely pass the needle, and the passage having a portion of smaller diameter at apoint radially-of the groove for engagement by the needle to restrict'contraction of the-stem and groove.

3. An inflatable article as in claim 1 in which thestem carries a circumferential bead spaced from the'valve and larger in diameter than the hole in the collar and contractile upon stretching the stem to a diameter to pass through the hole in the collar which bead forms the groove.

4'. An inflatable article as in claim 1 in which the collar has a base and a flange in spaced planes, the base contacting the casing and the flange having the hole therethrough, and a circumferential, bead carried by the stem spaced from the valve and larger in diameter than the hole in the flange of the collar and contractile up.- on stretching of the stem to a diameter to pass through the hole in the collar which bead. forms the groove.

5. An inflatable article as inclaim 1 adapted to be inflated by projecting a needle into the hole to open the air seal including the stem having a hole. therethrough of a relatively large diameter throughout most, of its length to easily pass the needle; therethrough, thehole in the stem at a point radially of the groove being a smaller diameter and engageable by the needle to restrict contraction of the stem and groove, the collar having a base and a. flange in spaced planes, the base contacting the casing and the flange having the hole therethrough, the stem having a circumferential bead spaced from the valve and larger in diameter than the hole in the flange of the collar and contractile upon stretching the stem to a diameter to pass through the hole in the collar which bead forms the groove, the bead being received between the flange and the casing.

6. An inflatable article as in claim 1 in which the stem is long enough to project beyond the casing Wall sufficiently to be gripped andpulled to stretch the stem and contract the same to pull 5 the stem through the hole in the collar until the groove rests in the collar.

7. An inflatable article as in claim 1 in which the stem carries a circumferential bead, said stem being long enough to project beyond the casing wall sufiiciently to be gripped and pulled to stretch the stem and bead and contract the same to pull the stem through the hole in the collar until the groove rests in the collar.

8. An inflatable article to be inflated comprising in combination a casing having a hole therethrough, a stiff collar having a base secured to the casing in alignment with the casing hole, a

flange carried by the collar spaced from the base and having a circular hole therethrough in alignment with the hole in the casing, a bladder, a valve secured to the bladder having a hole thereinto to pass the inflating air and an air seal within the hole, a recess in the valve to receive the collar, a tubular flexible stem carried by and connected with the valve and projecting from the recess, a groove carried by the stem spaced axially; from the air seal of the valve, the end of said flexible stem being insertable through the hole in the collar and the stem then being contractile upon pulling the same to pass the stem through the hole to "the groove, and the groove and stem fitting loosely in the hole in the collar for unrestrained circular adjustment therewithin.

9. An infl-atable article as in claim 8 including a circumferential bead carried by the stem spaced from the bottom of the recess to form a groove therebetween.

10. An inflatable article as in claim 9 including the stem being long and extending outside of the casing sufliciently to be gripped and pulled to contract the bead to pass the same through the hole in the collar.

11. A valved bladder to be inflated by means of an insertable inflating needle comprising an inflatable bladder envelope, a valve carried by the bladder envelope through which the bladder is inflated, an air seal carried by the valve, a flexible stem carried by and extending from the valve and having a groove axially spaced from the air seal, the stem being contractile upon stretching the same to a substantially smaller diameter, and a passage extending into the valve and stem to the air seal to pass the inflating needle.

12. A valved bladder as in claim 11 including the valve having a shoulder, and the stem carrying a bead spaced from the valve shoulder to form the groove, the bead being integral with the stem and contractile therewith upon stretching.

13. A valved bladder as in claim 12 including a recess in the end of the valve, and the stem projecting from the recess.

14. A valved bladder as in claim 11 in which the passage into the stem is relatively large throughout most of its length to freely pass the inflating needle and portion of the passage radially of the groove being of a lesser diameter to be engaged by the inflating needle torestrict contraction of the stem and groove.

ELI A. ROBINSON. ALBERT F. HECK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,641,382 Goldsmith Sept. 6, 1927 1,702,974 MacDonald Feb. 19, 1929 2,136,520 Perry Nov. 15, 1938 2,142,414 Riddell Jan. 3, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 215,485 Great Britain May 15, 1924 

